Wellborn Musclecar Museum Vintage Barn Finds

That's what the cynics say. At least when talking about all the old Hemi cars, that is. And in talking to most people, you would think that was true. While it is true that the days when we all knew about a car tucked away in our neighborhood are gone for the most part, occasionally, someone finds one worth saving.

A lot of people know that Tim Wellborn, who operates the Wellborn Musclecar Museum in Alexander City, Alabama, with his wife Pam, has a lot of really nice cars. Artisans like Roger Gibson from Missouri and Andrew White of Apex Autosports keep busy renewing, restoring, and reclaiming cars for them. However, Tim has a special spot for survivor cars, and has found that even the unrefined machines are attractive.

To that end, a recently completed display in the museum's ex-dealership service area is designated to show people vintage muscle just as the cars are found. The highlight is a '70 Hemi Road Runner, a car that nobody in the hobby knew about or has seen prior to Tim acquiring it. There are a couple of other cars as well, and the one thing in common is that, despite their rarity, these Mopars will not get washed, restored, or "made right." After all, barn finds are already right when you get them.

Heart of the Sunrise: '70 Hemi Road Runner

In 1972, Marcus Hanna, a young man in the west Texas town of Grovebeck, had a chance to buy a barely-used Roadrunner, painted FJ5 Lime Light Yellow with a white top and interior. This car had all the cool driveline stuff for that year—the Dana rear, four-speed, and 426 Hemi. This owner took the B-Body home, and began racing it locally. He soon discovered that he was not really as good with that Pistol Grip as he'd have liked (and, frankly, at 5,500 rpm on bias plys, who of us is?), and the 833 was replaced by a worked 727. Times changed, and Marcus got busy with his life and career, parking the car in a pole barn on his family property, where it sat for over 30 years.

In fact, he actually became Judge Hanna in the Lonestar State, and the car had been long forgotten. Somehow, word got to Roger Gibson that there was a Hemi car sitting, and the owner may be interested in selling it. He in turn called Tim.

"Roger had heard about this car down in Texas, so I contacted the gentleman who owned it, Mr. Hanna, but I really needed to see some pictures before I'd commit to going to see it. It took several months, and he finally went out and bought a little disposable camera. He sent me that, and as soon as I saw the pictures, we were on our way to Texas!"

The car was tucked away among a bunch of parts and equipment. The four-speed was sitting with it. The original engine was still in the car. Usually drag cars show a lot of abuse and changes; this was an exception. Other than the automatic shifter and transmission, it was all there. Even the original striping on the sides and hood were visible. The man offered to try and get the car running, but Tim declined; there was no reason to chance that original elephant to 30-year-old fuel.

"Well, when we got back home and got into the fuel system, [we found] that would have been a disaster to try and start that car," says Tim grimly. "What was left of the gas in it like Maple syrup. For that reason, some of those things will be repaired, but for the most part, this one will be a time capsule."

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This Road Runner was unknown to the hobby prior to 2012. It came out of a pole barn in west Texas, and remains basically as it was found.

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Under the hood is the numbers-matching Hemi, tuned up with some chrome parts and a little speed equipment. Tim will get it running again but plans to leave the dirt intact.

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The cars that Tim and Pam Wellborn have chosen to be part of their new barn find area can be found in a corner of the Wellborn Musclecar Museum, with various parts scattered around.

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Those are original seats and seat covers. The console was never reinstalled when the shifter was swapped out for a ratchet-type Mr. Gasket version. |

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Here's something that we're sure that there are not many of.

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This aluminum 318 block is on a stand in the middle of the parts display; the museum got it from Herb McCandless.

"You won't ever see that car washed. It has that haze of having sat in a barn and I like that. I am going to get it running and take it to shows, using it to show what a car looks like when it is just found. So, it will bear that patina. It has zero rust, it's never been wrecked, and only shows a few door dings. Other than those, you could buff it out and probably bring the paint up on it. I just think it is cool to leave it like that. I have both restored and survivor cars that are near-perfect but this one will stay as original as we can keep it."

The icing on the cake was found when the seats were taken out; a broadcast sheet was found behind each bucket back, and a third one, from another car, was found tucked into the coils of the back seat!

Blueprint: '71 Challenger R/T Six Pack

It takes a lot of moxie to leave a super high-option Mopar unrestored. Most guys would want to see a car like this Plum Crazy '71 Challenger brought back to better than new. After all, it's got it all—Shaker, SE rear window, four speed, upper and lower consoles, and a deep pocket of paperwork. Indeed, the paperwork may make this one of the most substantially-documented Mopars out there.

"Yes, that car would easily be one of the top Mopars in the world when restored because of the options, but I will keep it original, simply because it serves as a true model of how these cars were built," says Tim. "That is the most documented car I know of, and may have been bought by the most picky guy I have ever seen on any Mopar; he documented every option, every mile drove, every fill-up and oil change. It is dirty and dusty, but it is truly untouched, and that car can teach the hobby far more in its state right now than if it were restored."

This car came from John Hedges and was one of six cars that came into the collection when Tim and Pam bought both his cars and the massive assortment of parts he had accumulated. John was well-aware of how rare this car was, and had done nothing to it; Tim likewise decided to leave it be, even the accumulated dust covering the body. This car and the Roadrunner are situated together with an assortment of old and N.O.S. parts. In the background behind the Challenger is an N.O.S. Shaker hood.

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"Yeah, when we went to get the Roadrunner, the owner asked me if I wanted some of the other parts he had from his other cars. That Shaker was with it. As you can imagine, I agreed we could make use of them."

Wingin' It: '69 Charger Daytona

Up on the rack behind these two, a '69 Charger Daytona is resting quietly. The Road Runner came from a pole barn; the Challenger came from an old garage. The wing car is Tim's own barn find.

"That car came from Illinois. I've had it for about 25 years, and bought it to restore it. What was most important was, again, that was an absolutely rust-free, never-wrecked machine. It was all there, and is a perfect candidate for restoration. The only reason the front end is in primer is because the original builder, Creative Industries, had painted that nose with a real cheap, fast paint, and it was chipping. That car has always been ‘the next one I'm going to get to' car in the collection, but as I got busy with the '71 Chargers, it got pushed back. Right now it fits right in as a car that nobody has messed with too much before it goes to restoration."

Indeed, the museum has a few other wing cars, including a low-mileage (6,000), Hemi Daytona. This car, however, was a standard 440/four-speed combination, painted V2 Hemi Orange with a black interior. It will indeed be impressive if it ever gets done, but for now, it is a great inspiration to see how a car looks as it is found.

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This Shaker-equipped Challenger R/T was the literal pride and joy of purchaser Gordon Denzler, who ordered it with a nice selection of options from Excelsior Motors Limited in Alberta. He kept every record for the car. Tim intends to have Roger Gibson carefully remove and refurbish the fuel system so the Challenger will run again. Nothing has been modified under the hood since the days Denzler owned it.

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Even the interior, with its overhead console, is in amazingly good shape. However, once you begin to clean it up a little, you would need to do it all…

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The Daytona is visible from the ground; it is Tim's own barn find, having sat now for about 25 years awaiting restoration.

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As you can see, the engine is unmolested. The front of the car was primered, due to the chipping original paint, but the car was never hit.

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The interior seen here is like many Mopars show up with it—a few alterations and holes in the upholstery.